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Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi on Wednesday reaffirmed the commitment of his government to the successful implementation of the Home Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP) in the state.
The governor gave the assurance in Lokoja at the official flag-off of the Stakeholders Sensitisation Workshop on the federal government home grown school feeding programme in Kogi.
Bello, who was represented by his Deputy, Mr Simon Achuba, said that the Kogi government were part of the project and had taken some drastic steps to ensure that the programme worked well.
“We would do all that we need to do to make sure that this project works successfully in Kogi State for the benefit of our children and parents.
“It is our prayer that those who are running the the programme will run it well for the benefit of mankind.
“Every service you have the opportunity to render is not just for yourself but also for the benefit of mankind and enhancement of human kind, you must be sincere in everything,” Bello said.
He noted that out of the three basic needs of mankind which include shelter, clothing and food, that food was the most important of all which was the government has decided to make the feeding programme worked.
He added: “once the life is endanger by starvation there is no medicine that can cure that; you do not need to give somebody medicine because he is hungry; the only thing he needs is food”.
Mr Adoga Ibrahim, The Special Adviser to the Governor on Multilateral Donor Agencies and Special Projects/Focal Person on Social Investment Programme, said the workshop was to enable effective implementation of the programme.
He said that the reason for the technical workshop was to allow various implementing bodies to be upgraded on the working plans, road map and the working documents for the HGSFP in Kogi.
“It is by the initiative manifesto of our great party APC, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, and domiciled in the office of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osibajo.
“The HGSFP aims to feed children in public schools from primary one to three a meal per day, fully funded and appropriated for in the 2016 and 2017 Nigeria budget.
“All states are supposed to back up the programme with their own counterparts funding to support the operations, which Kogi State has fully backed up including provision of a fully furnished and digitalised staff office.
“The visiting team from the federal government has certified the state for meeting most of the conditions required for the implementation of the programme.
“We are sending the working and technical committee to Osun State for five days, to understudy what they are doing there to enhance our performance in Kogi,” Ibrahim said.
The National Programme Manager, HGSFP, Office of the Vice President, Mrs Abimbola Adesanmi, said the programme provided opportunities to assist vulnerable families feed their children while providing an incentive to send them to school.
She added that It would provide a linkage to health and nutrition essential intervention packages as well as enhanced community development, local production as food would be sourced from small holder farmers.
“The HGSFP seek to provide food for the public primary school pupils in Kogi State using foods produced and purchased within the state,
“This initiative is to achieve the dual objectives of increasing state food production and ensuring that children go to school,” Adesanmi stated.
Credits: Stephen Adeleye |NAN
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